"As our story opens, we find Clutch and company skimming along the Florida swamps." - the Narrator in "The Swamp Swindlers"
Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 2 DVD Review
By Jonathan Boudreaux
Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 2 presents the final twenty-six episodes of the 1959 animated series that follows the exploits of thrill-seeking adventurer Clutch Cargo (Richard Cotting), his young ward Spinner (Margaret Kerry), and their doggie pal Paddlefoot (Kerry). This time around, Cargo and company join the circus, battle feather thieves, and foil land-grabbing thieves in a set of escapes that would give the Jonny Quest gang a run for their money. Sure, the animation is primitive - the mouths of actual actors are superimposed over the animated characters - but the series, created by Clark Haas, has a uniquely vivid sense of style. Be sure to read our review of Volume 1 for more details about this fascinating series, and read on for details of Volume 2's oddly appealing mix of extras.
The twenty-six episodes included in Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 2 are divided onto three discs. As before, each episode of Clutch Cargo is divided into five mini-installments, and each installment is sequentially numbered. This volume's first episode, "The Swamp Swindlers," contains installments 131 through 135, for example. The episodes are self-contained, however, and its storylines completely wrapped up within its five installments. The discs are housed in a simply yet effectively designed green-hued digipak. Disc one is printed with a drawing of Clutch and Spinner (poor Paddlefoot must have been busy chasing his tail). The remaining two discs are double-sided. As with Volume 1, the clear plastic trays in which the DVDs rest, once the DVDs are removed, reveal individual portraits of Clutch, Spinner, and Paddlefoot. The reverse sides of the three panel digipak feature episode titles found on each disc, as well as a listing of the discs' bonus materials. The digipak slides into a cardboard outer sleeve.
The full motion DVD menus are especially attractive. As music from the series plays on a continuous loop, Clutch, Spinner, and Paddlefoot run across the screen in a coolly stylized sequence. Viewers can choose to play all of a disc's episodes, or view the episode list. The episode list menus again employ a map motif, with Clutch moving his finger from the name of one adventure to another. Unfortunately, there are no chapter stops to allow viewers to jump from installment to installment.
Video and Audio
Clutch Cargo's low-budget animation techniques again lead to slightly crummy audio and video. The quality of the characters' voices change from scene to scene (often dependent on whether or not Syncro-Vox is employed), colors are inconsistent, and there are numerous examples of dirt, hair, and other flaws. Still, all of this simply adds to Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 2's goofy charms.
Extras
"Making of Clutch Cargo" (4:24) on disc one is a clever featurette that explains the animation processes employed by Cambria Productions. The featurette begins with a newly-animated segment illustrating the Syncro-Vox technique. This tongue-in-cheek demonstration is quite entertaining. For the remainder of the featurette, clips from the series demonstrate other bottom-of-the-barrel (yet oddly effective) Cambria techniques, like superimposing footage of real feathers in one scene rather than drawing them individually, or blowing smoke in front of the camera during a fire scene. This featurette's only flaw is that it is over much too quickly - it will definitely leave viewers wanting more!
On disc two, side A, "Trailers from 1959" presents movie trailers from 1959, the year in which Clutch Cargo premiered. The trailers include Anatomy of a Murder; First Man into Space; Invisible Invaders; Never So Few; Some Like It Hot; Suddenly, Last Summer; The Nun's Story; and The Young Philadelphians. The sound and video quality varies wildly, and it is a stretch to say that these trailers are in any way related to Clutch Cargo. Trailer junkies, however, will want to check them out. Even though it looks and sounds quite atrocious, Otto Preminger's Hitchcock-like ad for Anatomy of a Murder is especially memorable.
"Politically Incorrect" (2:55) on disc two, side B presents a compendium of culturally insensitive clips from various Clutch Cargo episodes. Be sure to check out Volume 2's "The Swamp Swindlers" for cornpone stereotypes that make Lil' Abner seem subtle, and "The Fortune Cookie Caper" for a "poke flied lice" look at Asian culture.
Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction featured a clip from the Clutch Cargo series. Disc three, side A presents "As Seen on Pulp Fiction," a portion of the episode titled "The Arctic Bird Giant" that was featured in the movie. This isn't really a bonus - the entire episode is included in Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 1.
Finally, disc three, side B includes the "Pisastro's Private War" episode of Captain Fathom, another Cambria production that employed the Syncro-Vox technique. Directed by Clark Haas, Captain Fathom retains Clutch Cargo's mix of beautifully detailed drawings and minimalist animation. Unfortunately, it also adds a layer of strained "wacky" humor, including characterizations that would be right at home in a Frito Bandito commercial. This is an interesting artifact, but it is impossible to tell whether this episode's goofier interludes and slightly lackadaisical storytelling techniques are typical of the series.
Summary
Round out your collection with Clutch Cargo: The Complete Series: Volume 2. Sure, the episodes are more of the (highly unusual) same, but they are still entertaining. Adding to the set's appeal are a handful of unique extras and a low price point. Animation junkies will be pleased.
3/18/05
